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For nearly two weeks now, MBBS students of Calcutta Medical College and Hospital have been on a hunger strike at the campus.
The students are protesting against what they call poor living conditions in hostels and are demanding a transparent hostel allocation process.
Even as the stir entered its 13th day on Sunday, the medical college has seen a change in principals. Ashok Bhadra, who took charge as the officiating principal today, is the third in the last 14 days. Uchhal Bhadra recused himself on health grounds, while his successor, Ramanuj Sinha, resigned last week.
To complicate issues, three students on hunger strike fell ill and had to be hospitalised.
The issue came to a head earlier this month after the authorities decided to allot rooms in the new 11-storey hostel only to first-year students. According to the students, the new hostel can accommodate 800, while the strength of the first year is only 250. Moreover, they say that the old hostel where seniors stay is not only in a dilapidated condition, but has limited space, too.
As a result, a hundred senior students are staying in rented accommodation. Students are demanding that hostel allotment counselling be reinstated.
The college administration, however, maintains that, as per Medical Council of India rules, it is bound to put up first-year students separately from seniors to prevent ragging.
On July 5, the agitating students gheraoed the then principal, Uchhal Bhadra.
Five days after that, six students commenced a hunger strike. Several others joined in later. Thespian and Dada Saheb Phalke Award winner Soumitra Chaterjee, too, has spoken up.
Debashis Bhattacharrya, Director, Directorate of Medical Education Department of Health & Family Welfare, said, “I assure the students that appropriate measures are being taken to improve and renovate hostel rooms. I request the students to withdraw their symbolic strike, return to academics and see that health services to people are not hampered.”
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